Description
This Homemade Apple Cider recipe offers a warm, cozy beverage crafted from a blend of apples, orange, cinnamon, and cloves slow-cooked to perfection. The cider is naturally sweetened, gently simmered to develop deep flavors, and can be enjoyed warm or cold, making it a perfect drink for chilly days or festive gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits
- 10 medium apples (preferably a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith)
- 1 orange, peeled and segmented
Spices and Sweetener
- 4 cinnamon sticks (or 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon)
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 6 tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar
Other
- Water (enough to cover the fruit in the slow cooker)
Instructions
- Prepare citrus and apples: Peel the orange and separate the segments, then rinse and quarter the apples, discarding the cores.
- Combine ingredients: Place the orange segments and quartered apples into a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, and granulated sugar. Pour in enough water to cover all the fruit completely.
- Cook the mixture: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6 to 7 hours or on high heat for about 4 hours; low heat is recommended if available.
- Mash the fruit: Once the fruit is very soft, remove the cinnamon sticks using tongs or a slotted spoon. Use a sturdy spoon or potato masher to mash the softened fruit directly in the slow cooker. Return the cinnamon sticks back and cover.
- Continue cooking: Cook the mashed mixture for an additional 1 hour on low or high heat to infuse the flavors.
- Strain the cider: Slowly pour the fruit mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large pot or heat-safe pitcher. Discard the solids. For a clearer cider, strain the liquid once more.
- Serve and store: Serve the cider warm. Leftover cider can be refrigerated for 5 to 7 days and warmed on the stove before serving or enjoyed cold.
Notes
- Using a variety of apples balances sweetness and tartness; Honeycrisp adds sweetness while Granny Smith adds tartness.
- You can substitute cinnamon sticks with ground cinnamon if preferred, but sticks provide a milder flavor.
- Adjust sugar based on your preferred level of sweetness or type of apples used.
- Make sure not to add too much water; it should just cover the fruit for best flavor concentration.
- Slow cooking on low heat helps develop deeper flavors and better infusion of spices.
- Straining twice ensures a smooth cider free of pulp or solids.
- This cider keeps well refrigerated and can be reheated gently before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approximately 240 ml)
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0.2g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 0.3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
